Great Reading: Grade 5

 

Suggested Series

39 Clues Series.
Various authors.

When their beloved Aunt Grace dies, Dan, 11, and Amy, 14—along with other Cahill descendants—are faced with an unusual choice: inherit one million dollars or participate in a perilous treasure hunt. The book dazzles with suspense, plot twists, and snappy humor.

 

JF BUCKLEY MICHAEL Sisters
Buckley, Michael. Sisters Grimm Series.

After their parents disappear, sisters Daphne and Sabrina Grimm are placed with a grandmother, Granny Relda, they have never heard about. The sisters concern once they arrive at Relda's home in the New England town of Ferryport Landing , where Relda serves emerald-green meatballs in rooms lined with books about magic. Then Relda reveals the truth: the Grimms are descended from the famous storytelling brothers, and Ferryport Landing is a magical town, populated with "Everafters," characters straight from fairy tales. After Relda goes missing, it's up to the girls, and their new magical friends, to rescue her and stop a corrupt politician.

 

JF BRYANT ANNIE
Bryant, Annie. Beacon Street Girls Series.

This series is all about friendship, fun, and girl power.

 

JF BYARS BETSY
Byars, Betsy Cromer. Herculeah Jones Series.

With a mother who is a private investigator and father who is a police officer, it is not wonder their daughter has an inkling for danger. Follow Herucleah on her path to solve mysteries and nab culprits.

 

Candy Apple Series.
Various authors.

Three cheers for friendship, rivalries, crushes, and more; these kids survive them all!

 

JF CHRISTOP MATT
Christopher, Matt. Sports Stories

Matt Christopher writes fast-paced, action-packed sports novels.

 

JF COLFER EOIN
Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl Series.

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairy-folk of their pot of gold.

 

JF COWELL CRESSIDA How to
Cowell, Cressida. How to Train Your Dragon Series.

Chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon.

 

JF HUNTER ERIN Warriors
Hunter, Erin. Warriors Series.

House kitten Rusty is restless and bored with his safe, bland existence. It is no wonder he jumps at the invitation to join the Feral Cats in the woods. Now called Firepaw, he relishes his lessons in fighting, hunting wild prey, and above all becoming one with the close-knit, ferociously loyal Thunder Clan.

 

JF MOSS MARISSA Amelias
Moss, Marissa. Amelia's Notebook Series.

Amelia writes about her older sister, a new school, and an old best friend in her journals.

 

JF NAYLOR PHYLLIS
Naylor, Phyllis. Boys-Girls Battle Series.

The four Hatford brothers have new neighbors, the Malloys, and they're girls ! The three Malloy sisters aren't that impressed with the Hatfords either. When the boys start pulling pranks on the Malloys it's all out war. Follow the mayhem as the feud heats up between boys and girls in this hilarious series.

 

Poison Apple Series
Various authors.

Poison Apple Books are perfect for kids who love thrilling ghost stories, spectacular supernatural tales, and spooky mysteries.

 

JF RIORDAN RICK
Riordan, Rick. Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series .

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. When his mom tells him the truth about where he came from, she takes him to the one place he'll be safe—Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods. There, Percy learns that the father he never knew is actually Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon Percy finds himself caught up in a mystery that could lead to disastrous consequences.

 

JF ROWLING JK Harry
Rowling, JK. Harry Potter series.

Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.

 

JF VAN DRAA WENDELIN Sammy
Van Draanen, Wendelin. Sammy Keyes series .

Sammy Keyes is a resourceful, brave, too-curious-for-her-own-good young sleuth who gets into trouble with her grandmother's binoculars.

 

JF VERNON URSULA Dragonbr
Vernon, Ursula. Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs.

When Suki the salamander--the new foreign exchange student--is being stalked by ninja frogs, Danny, Wendell the iguana, and Suki travel to Great-grandfather Dragonbreath 's home in mythical Japan to find a solution for the problem.

Fiction

JF CLEMENTS ANDREW Landry
Clements, Andrew. The Landry News.

A fifth-grader starts a newspaper with an editorial that prompts her burnt-out classroom teacher to really begin teaching again. Try also, We the Children and Troublemaker.

 

JF CLEMENTS ANDREW No
Clements, Andrew. No Talking.

The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking " contest.

 

JF CORBETT SUE Free
Corbett, Sue. Free Baseball.

Angry with his mother for having too little time for him, eleven-year-old Felix takes advantage of an opportunity to become bat boy for a minor league baseball team, hoping to someday be like his father, a famous Cuban outfielder. Includes glossaries of baseball terms and Spanish words and phrases.

 

JF CREECH SHARON Heartbea
Creech, Sharon. Heartbeat.

Twelve-year-old Annie ponders the many rhythms of life the year that her mother becomes pregnant, her grandfather begins faltering, and Max, her best friend and running partner, becomes distant

 

JF CURTIS CHRISTOP Watsons
Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons go to Birmingham.

The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons , an African American family living in Flint , Michigan , are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.

 

JF CURTIS CHRISTOP Mr.
Curtis, Christopher. Mr. Chickee .
Mr. Chickee's Funny Money.

Flint Future Detective Club members Steven Carter, his friend Russell, and Russell's huge dog Zoopy solve the mystery of a quadrillion-dollar bill with the image of James Brown on it.

 

JF DHAMI NARINDER Bindi
Dhami, Narinder. Bindi Babes.

Three Indian-British sisters team up to marry off their traditional, nosy aunt and get her out of the house.

 

JF FELDMAN JODY Gollywho
Feldman, Jody. The Gollywhopper Games.

When the Golly Toy and Game Company announces the Gollywhopper games, Gil Goodson wants to be the lucky winner. This could be the perfect opportunity for his family to move away from Orchard Heights . Can he solve the puzzles and complete the stunts?

 

JF GRIMES NIKKI Road to
Grimes, Nikki. Road to Paris.

Inconsolable at being separated from her older brother, eight-year-old Paris is apprehensive about her new foster family but just as she learns to trust them, she faces a life-changing decision.

 

JF GUTMAN DAN Satch
Gutman, Dan. Satch & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure.

With his ability to travel through time using vintage baseball cards, Joe takes Flip with him to find out whether Satchel Paige really was the fastest pitcher ever.

 

JF HADDIX MARGARET Among
Haddix, Margaret. Among the Hidden.

In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong.

 

JF LENGLE MADELEIN Wrinkle
L'engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time.

Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government. Newbery Medal Winner

 

JF LOMBARD JENNY Drita
Lombard, Jenny. Drita, My Homegirl.

When ten-year-old Drita and her family, refugees from Kosovo, move to New York , Drita is teased about not speaking English well, but after a popular student named Maxine is forced to learn about Kosovo as a punishment for teasing Drita , the two girls soon bond.

 

JF LUPICA MIKE Hero
Lupica, Mike. Hero.

Fourteen-year-old Zach learns he has the same special abilities as his father and now he must decide whether to use his powers in the same way at the risk of his own life. Fans of Mike Lupica might also like The Big Field.

 

JF NELSON N. A. Bringing
Nelson, HA. Bringing the Boy Home.

Two young boys from the same Amazon tribe venture into the world on a magical quest to achieve the respected status of manhood amongst their people.

 

 

JF RHODES JEWELL Ninth
Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Ninth Ward.

In New Orleans ' Ninth Ward , twelve-year-old Lanesha, who can see spirits, and her adopted grandmother have no choice but to stay and weather the storm as Hurricane Katrina bears down upon them.

 

 

JF WILLIAMS RITA One
Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer.

In the summer of 1968, after travelling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.

 

 

JF YEE LISA Stanford
Yee, Lisa. Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time.

After flunking sixth-grade English, basketball prodigy Stanford Wong must struggle to pass his summer-school class, keep his failure a secret from his friends, and satisfy his academically demanding father.

 

 

Folklore and Fairytales

 

J 398 MCDERMOT
McDermott, Gerald. Anansi the Spider: A Tale From the Ashanti

When the clever spider Anansi runs into difficulty on his long journey, he calls on his six sons for help.

 

J 398.2 S83m
Steptoe, John. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale.

Mufaro's two beautiful daughters, one bad-tempered, one kind and sweet, go before the king, who is choosing a wife.

 

JF SAN SOUC ROBERT Well at
San Souci, Robert. The Well at the End Of the World.

In this fairy tale, loosely based on English and Scottish lore, feisty Princess Rosamond risks her throne and all her wealth to save her father's life.

 

J 398.2 HODGES
Hodges, Margaret. Saint George and the Dragon: A Golden Legend.

George, the Red Cross Knight, slays the dreadful dragon that has been terrorizing the countryside for years and brings peace and joy to the land.

 

 

 

 

Compiled by Youth Services Department, Springfield City Library, 2011